Applications are invited for a 4-year full-time PhD position in the domain of visual word recognition at the Department of Experimental Psychology at Ghent University.

As part of the Odysseus program 'Reading Research in Flanders', we are investigating the processing of written Dutch words from a first and second- language perspective. In this project, we are collecting reading times for a large number of words, together with their lexical characteristics. These data will be used to examine competing models of visual word processing and to assess the differences in visual word processing between Dutch and English.

Profile of the applicant: -Master's Degree in Psychology, Linguistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field -A good command of English -Experience with corpus-based research, mixed effect models, computational modelling of visual word processing, and knowledge of at least one programming language are an asset.

Duties: -Monitoring of the behavioural studies on visual word processing -Assisting in the assembly of a new corpus for Dutch and in the development of new frequency-norms based on this corpus -Construction and maintenance of an easy-to-use website integrating behavioural- and corpus-data -Integrating new findings in existing computational models of word recognition. -Writing a Ph.D. dissertation

How to apply: The grant starts with a probation period of 1 year, which is automatically extended to 4 years after a positive evaluation. Applications, including a curriculum vitae and a copy of the required diploma, should be addressed to the address provided below.

The final date for receiving applications is December 11, 2008. Interviews with the selected candidates are expected to take place on December 17, 2008.

More information can be obtained, preferably by e-mail, from Prof. Dr. Marc Brysbaert (see contact information below) or from Dr. Emmanuel Keuleers (emmanuel.keuleersugent.be).